Senator Blackburn leads Commerce subcommittee hearing on sports event contracts and integrity
Senator Marsha Blackburn, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee's Consumer Protection Subcommittee, led a hearing on May 20, 2026, on protecting sports integrity in America. The hearing addressed the introduction of sports event contracts on prediction markets and their exposure of more people to sports betting. Senators questioned the gaming and prediction market industries on marketing strategies, integrity monitoring, and consumer safety. C-SPAN broadcast the event, which featured industry experts testifying on the rise of sports betting and prediction markets. No specific legislation or regulatory actions were announced during the session.
Kalshi and Polymarket face a fourth parallel congressional threat this month alongside Commerce Committee staff drafting statutory clampdowns, direct witness pressure at a separate hearing, and bipartisan momentum to reclassify their sports-linked contracts as illegal wagers.
Joins Commerce Committee grilling of Kalshi and Crypto.com, Minnesota's proposed state ban, the CFTC's federal suit against Minnesota, and tribal lawsuits in New Mexico and Wisconsin as the eighth distinct front in a multi-jurisdictional assault on prediction market sports contracts this month.